DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 29th season! Our enthusiasm for the art of a cappella is greater than ever after more than a quarter century of presenting the best student groups on stage and in the studio.

Our tournaments have grown from a handful of events to the massive showcase they are today, this year featuring more than 700 groups and over 11,000 singers at over 85 events across North America and the United Kingdom.

Our original tournament inspired the hit movie "Pitch Perfect," based on the nonfiction book documenting the true story of rival groups competing against each other in our very own ICCA. The "Pitch Perfect" franchise remains the highest-grossing cinematic musical series of all time.

Despite the incredible growth and mainstream popularity we’ve enjoyed, our focus remains sharply on the promotion and development of the talent that crosses our stage. We believe competition fosters growth, as groups work together toward a specific goal and cultivate lifelong skills and relationships.

We provide insightful feedback from our highly qualified judges – but more importantly, our singers get to connect with a larger audience from across the country, learning from their peers and finding inspiration in other groups.  

We have seen a cappella make great strides from where it began on our stage 29 years ago and we can’t wait to see how our 2025 competitors push the envelope. Committed to promoting our singers and energized by the incredible music they create, we look forward to another memorable season. Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,

Amanda Newman
Executive Director

ICHSA SOUTHWEST  QUARTERFINAL

Rockwall-Heath Performing Arts Center
Saturday, February 22nd, 2025

WE'RE SOCIAL

We're talking about this event, and all of our events around the world!

varsityvocals

@varsityvocals

Follow us @varsityvocals on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #ICHSA.

ABOUT VARSITY VOCALS

Since 1996, we have encouraged students worldwide to sing a cappella throughout their lives. Our programs include both the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), and the International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA). We also annually produce The Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) and The Best of High School A Cappella (BOHSA) compilation albums.

Our a cappella competitions give top-notch a cappella groups the opportunity to showcase their talents for an international audience and to take home valuable feedback from our qualified judges. This year, competing groups will appear in venues all around the world, offering their energetic musical performances for your enjoyment.

The high school tournament is now in its 20th year. The winners of each of seven Semifinal rounds will advance to the ICHSA Finals at The Town Hall in New York City on Friday, April 25th.

The college tournament takes place from January through April in nine regions across the country and around the world. Each region holds four or five Quarterfinals, and the top groups from each Quarterfinal advance to the Semifinal. The winning group at each Semifinal is named Regional Champion and advances to the ICCA Finals at The Town Hall in New York City on Saturday, April 26th.

 For a full tournament schedule, visit us at www.varsityvocals.com/events

ABOUT TONIGHT'S SHOW

The performance order was determined by random draw this afternoon and will be announced from stage.

Tonight’s performers will be evaluated on elements of their vocal and visual performance, which carry numerical weight. The highest and lowest score from the individual judges will be dropped for each group. Our judges may recognize exceptional performances with special awards as they see fit.

There will be a 15-minute intermission. After the final group has performed, a guest performer will entertain you while the scores are tabulated.

Because each group only has ten minutes to perform, we ask you to keep your applause to an enthusiastic minimum between songs. Please feel welcome to applaud as much as you want after each group has finished its set.

Videotaping and non-flash photography for personal use is permitted during the concert, so long as you do not disrupt our performers or other patrons. Due to licensing regulations, we do not provide a video or audio recording of this performance.

TONIGHT'S COMPETITORS

Founded in 2020 at Rockwall Heath High School, Beyond is a dynamic treble a cappella group looking forward to another competition season. With standout performances at ICHSA and Acatex competitions, they’ve captivated audiences across north Texas. Their recorded tracks are available on all major streaming platforms and they proudly earned a spot on the 2023 BOHSA. Now in their fifth year, Beyond is more passionate than ever about pushing boundaries and elevating their sound. 

Infiniti is the mixed a cappella ensemble from Rockwall Heath High School, directed by Lauren Smith. Since 2018, they've become heavily involved in the Texas a cappella scene, consistently placing in competitions like ICHSA and Acatex. In 2022 and 2024, they earned a trip to ICHSA Finals in New York, placing 2nd in 2024. They have released music on all streaming platforms and have been featured on the BOHSA album. 

The Innovation Pop Choir consists of 15 singers ranging from soprano to bass, and they are from Reedy High School. This is the first year they are doing full pop a cappella arrangements and they are so excited to make their ICHSA debut. These students are also involved in the varsity choral ensemble with whom they compete in the All-State Choir process, as well as UIL evaluation. Last year, Innovation had the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the 107th PGA Annual Meeting and were recently invited to sing the national anthem at the International Dyslexia Association Gala in Dallas. 

Lovejoy A Cappella is the premier vocal ensemble at Lovejoy High School. The group members pride themselves on bringing meaningful and entertaining performances to their school and local community. Lovejoy A Cappella looks forward to their second year participating in ICHSA, after placing 4th at Semifinals last year! 

Lowkey is the inaugural tenor-bass a cappella group from Rockwall Heath High School, bringing a fresh sound to the north Texas a cappella scene. Committed to showcasing their unique blend of voices, they are set to compete in events like Acatex and ICHSA, while performing at venues around the area. With a passion for music and a drive to establish their identity, Lowkey is excited to make their mark and connect with audiences through their artistry. Stay tuned for their journey as they embrace the world of a cappella! 

Rockwall High School's Sting was formed in 2018 as an all-treble a cappella ensemble, placing 2nd at Sing! Texas that same year. In 2021, after entering ICHSA for the first time, Sting placed 3rd in Finals for their performance of “Denim Jacket" by Sammy Rae. The following year, Sting was the top-ranked all-treble ensemble, earning Runner-Up in the ICHSA Wildcard round. Their Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-nominated debut album, Coronation, is available on all major streaming platforms, with music featured on Voices Only and BOHSA. They are currently recording their third album and look forward to a May 2025 release! 

Syncopation is the premier contemporary a cappella group at Plano West Senior High School. Despite being relatively new to the competition scene, Syncopation has already made a significant impact, becoming a Finalist at Aca-Tex in 2022 and securing the alternate spot for the ICHSA in 2023. In the summer of 2023, they released their first single, which was featured on the prestigious BOHSA album. The group leans heavily on student leadership, with a student choreographer and a student director playing key roles in their success. Syncopation members select their own repertoire and often create their own arrangements, with several of them going on to perform with ICCA groups. Individual members have earned recognition, including soloist awards in competition. In addition to their a cappella achievements, Syncopation also served as a chamber ensemble at the North Texas Madrigal and Chamber Choir Festival in 2024 and was awarded a Performance of Distinction. Syncopation continues to push the boundaries of student-led performance and musical excellence. 

Vocal Legacy is the contemporary a cappella group from Bryan High School. They have been competing in ICHSA since 2014 and have also participated in the National A Cappella Convention (NACC) in Memphis, Tenn. The group consists of singers from 10th-12th grade who are leaders on our campus, and enjoy making music and spending time together. 

Walk the Line was founded in 2015. They attended ICHSA Finals in 2017, 2022, and 2024, winning 2nd place in 2022 and 4th place in 2024. They have recorded and released three albums, each earning track placements on Varsity Vocals’ BOHSA albums, and three Voices Only compilations. After seven previous nominations, they won a CARA in 2022 for Best High School EP and again in 2024 for Best High School Song. They are excited to share the stage with great friends across so many schools and love performing live more than anything else! 

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Parker Burrows is a former member and music director of Amazin’ Blue at the University of Michigan. While in the group, he competed in ICCA events at all levels, including Quarterfinals, Semifinals, a Wildcard win, and a Finals appearance. He also led the group in recording and assisted with editing, mixing, and mastering their studio album, Retrofit, and competed with them in BostonSings (BOSS). Parker has written multiple arrangements during his time in the group and post-graduation. His time with Amazin’ Blue was an integral part of his college experience and he is excited to give back and support a new generation of amazing talent. 

Adrian Fernandez is a Bolivian-American violinist with a sweet spot for singing. After singing in choir and musicals, he joined his high school’s student-run a cappella group, Out of The Blue. He matriculated to Chapman University, where he received a B.M. in violin performance and joined the award-winning a cappella group, The ChapTones, serving as assistant music director and music director during his tenure. Highlights with The ChapTones include leading the group to multiple placements at ICCA Semifinals, performing with and for Billie Eilish, Chance the Rapper, Dan + Shay, John Legend, Finneas, and Reba McEntire, and traveling to perform around the West Coast. Adrian is currently working toward a Master of Music at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and teaches private lessons. 

Robby Napoli is a conductor, educator, tenor, and composer/arranger from College Park, Md., pursuing a master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of North Texas. He is passionate about inspiring upcoming generations of singers with unique musical opportunities. Prior to UNT, Robby co-founded the professional chamber choir, Lux, and served as the choral director at Chesapeake High School in Pasadena, Md. He has workshopped, adjudicated, and presented throughout the Washington, D.C. area and beyond. Robby also served as director, arranger, and choreographer for Chesapeake’s contemporary a cappella group, Evolve. He supported them in ICHSA competitions where they placed 2nd in Semifinals and earned multiple special awards for Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Vocal Percussion, and Outstanding Choreography. Pentatonix’s Matt Sallee also selected the group for a workshop at the 2024 Maryland Music Educators’ Association Conference. That same year, Robby organized and hosted the first A Cappella Festival in Anne Arundel County, bringing together local high school a cappella groups for combined performances, interest sessions, and masterclasses led by Christopher Diaz and Michael Brisentine. An avid performer in the choral field, Robby still serves as artistic director of Lux and maintains an active singing career in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington D.C. areas. 

Nick Powers has taught and directed a cappella and choral ensembles for 12 years. Most recently, he was the choral director at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Fla. He is currently the Honor Choir Manager for the NACC. He has directed multiple groups that have placed at ICHSA competitions. His arrangements have been featured on Varsity Vocals’ BOHSA albums. He is an active arranger, adjudicator, and clinician. 

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Lauren Smith, Leia Browning and the Rockwall High School Choir Department; Rockwall High School parents and volunteers; our judges, hosts, competitors, volunteers, partners, and producers; and you, the audience, for supporting Varsity Vocals programming.

Amanda Newman
 Executive Director

Elise Hackl-Blumstein
ICHSA Director
PA/MA Program Coordinator

Dave Rabizadeh
 ICCA Director

Emily Sucher
 Director of Publications

Lucy Jacobs
 Senior Producer, ICCA & ICHSA West

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
 Senior Producer, ICCA South

Arvin Zabalerio
Senior Producer, ICCA Central

Gemma Davies
Producer, ICCA United Kingdom

Emily Benjamin
Producer, ICCA Northeast

Adam McNeil
Producer, ICHSA Great Lakes

Valentyna Simon
Producer, ICHSA West

Ben Garza
Producer, ICHSA Southwest

Bryce McCracken
 Associate Producer, ICCA Central

Bri Decerio
 Associate Producer

Angelina Corbin
 Associate Producer
ICCA & ICHSA South

Sara Yood
Senior Producer

Emily Flanders
Director of Adjudication
 Senior Producer, ICCA Great Lakes

Andrew Poole
 Director of Digital Media

Charlotte Taylor
Marketing & Social Strategy

Holli Kitching
Senior Producer, ICCA Mid-Atlantic

Leah Alrutz
 Senior Producer, ICCA Midwest

Alaina Wegner
Producer, ICCA Southwest

Christopher Witham
 Producer, ICCA United Kingdom

Jillian Kimberlin
 Senior Producer, ICHSA Mid-Atlantic

Christopher Hoffman
 Producer, ICHSA Northeast

Jake Yoakum
Producer, ICHSA West

Nicole Palmetto
Associate Producer, ICCA Northeast

Tyandria Jaaber
Associate Producer, ICCA Mid-Atlantic

Rebecca Williamson
 Associate Producer, ICCA South

Andrea Poole
Consultant
ICHSA Director Emeritus

OUR TEAM

We have an amazing team of people who work tirelessly to make our programs so valuable for our singers and audiences alike — and they all do it while holding down full-time day jobs, too!

The top three placing groups at this event will advance to the 2025 ICHSA Southwest Semifinal.

BRING THE HARMONY HOME

Find your favorite groups on The Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) and The Best of High School A Cappella (BOHSA), available for purchase on Apple Music and Amazon Music!

#ICHSA